Council urged to move popular charity teddy stall back after ‘takings drop’

CHARITY volunteers claim takings have dropped since Bournemouth’s popular teddy bear stall was moved from its prime location.

A Bournemouth councillor has now called on the council to move the stall back to its old site, between the Gardens and Pier Approach, and said the council should be supporting, not discouraging charities.

But the council has said it is confident the fundraising tombola will do just as well in its new site near the mini-golf course, where it was relocated two years ago.

Cllr Anne Rey, (pictured) councillor for Throop and Muscliff, raised concerns after helping at the teddy bear stall to raise money for Chesthelp.

She said: “It was their first time in having the stall but several of our members are involved in other charities and groups including Bournemouth In Bloom and they all said over the last two years the takings weren’t as good.

“Many people came up to us asking why the stall had been moved as they had been looking for us. The new site is tucked out of the way and you miss hundreds of people coming from the BIC and Pavilion areas.

“We as a council should be supporting charities not discouraging them as times are hard enough. I went up to the site where the charity stall had been for many years and saw that nothing had been put in its place.”

Pauline May, chairman of Townsend Community Centre, has also expressed concern that takings at the stall have dropped.

But Michael Rowland, parks development manager at the council, said: “In agreement with the operators of the Teddy Bear kiosk and the Lower Gardens Trust the stall has been relocated, initially on a temporary basis.

“The previous location was relandscaped to allow for better and safer pedestrian access between the Gardens and Pier Approach. We value the great work that the kiosk does raising money for charity and believe that in its new location it will continue to flourish.”

The Council are not interested in promoting or helping others to flourish.

They won't even place a sign in the lower gardens ( which has a great footfall ) promoting the Council owned open air art gallery at pine walk behind the bandstand,even though they have raised the pitch rentals this year.

Very poor show.

The Council are not interested in promoting or helping others to flourish.
They won't even place a sign in the lower gardens ( which has a great footfall ) promoting the Council owned open air art gallery at pine walk behind the bandstand,even though they have raised the pitch rentals this year.
Very poor show.BIGTONE

You might have believed it would flourish in its new location, but clearly it's not. Nothing's in its place - move it back and do something proactive for once. I often used to buy a ticket but haven't seen it in ages & thought it had packed in. Typical bureaucrats. They know best !!! NOT.

You might have believed it would flourish in its new location, but clearly it's not. Nothing's in its place - move it back and do something proactive for once. I often used to buy a ticket but haven't seen it in ages & thought it had packed in. Typical bureaucrats. They know best !!! NOT.Nice But Dim

Firstly the positioning of this charity stall should have nothing to do with Bournemouth Council as the lower gardens are in fact a charity, however as all the main trustees of the lower gardens charity are councillors and the few co-opted members are also interlinked with the councils other "charity" BH Live you could easily think it was just the council by another name. The meeting minutes make interesting reading and try as I might to get on this committee have been fobbed off, it certainly does not make as much money as you would think out of S&D leisure if the accounts are anything to go by!

Firstly the positioning of this charity stall should have nothing to do with Bournemouth Council as the lower gardens are in fact a charity, however as all the main trustees of the lower gardens charity are councillors and the few co-opted members are also interlinked with the councils other "charity" BH Live you could easily think it was just the council by another name. The meeting minutes make interesting reading and try as I might to get on this committee have been fobbed off, it certainly does not make as much money as you would think out of S&D leisure if the accounts are anything to go by!itsneverblackorwhite

i volunteered to man the teddy bear stall approx 25 years ago and my experience was that the labour delegates down for the party conference were the meanest people i had ever come across what they did to avoid putting their hands in their pockets was amazing

i volunteered to man the teddy bear stall approx 25 years ago and my experience was that the labour delegates down for the party conference were the meanest people i had ever come across what they did to avoid putting their hands in their pockets was amazingcontric

So Michael Rowland, parks development manager at the council, says he values the great work that the kiosk does raising money for charity and believes that in its new location it will continue to flourish.

But, you clearly don't listen - they've said it ISN'T flourishing. So how can anyone have any confidence in anything you say?? Obviously they can't.

So Michael Rowland, parks development manager at the council, says he values the great work that the kiosk does raising money for charity and believes that in its new location it will continue to flourish.
But, you clearly don't listen - they've said it ISN'T flourishing. So how can anyone have any confidence in anything you say?? Obviously they can't.Carolyn43

sea poole wrote:
Carolyn43 -Absolutely! Council knows best! Or they think they do.

Yes, and they conveniently forget who is paying their wages and the purpose for doing so, namely to do what the resident taxpayers want.

In the private sector Rowland's would be sacked for insubordination.

[quote][p][bold]sea poole[/bold] wrote:
Carolyn43 -Absolutely! Council knows best! Or they think they do.[/p][/quote]Yes, and they conveniently forget who is paying their wages and the purpose for doing so, namely to do what the resident taxpayers want.
In the private sector Rowland's would be sacked for insubordination.Phixer

itsneverblackorwhite wrote:
Firstly the positioning of this charity stall should have nothing to do with Bournemouth Council as the lower gardens are in fact a charity, however as all the main trustees of the lower gardens charity are councillors and the few co-opted members are also interlinked with the councils other &quot;charity" BH Live you could easily think it was just the council by another name. The meeting minutes make interesting reading and try as I might to get on this committee have been fobbed off, it certainly does not make as much money as you would think out of S&amp;D leisure if the accounts are anything to go by!

perhaps the Daily Echo could publish these accounts

or perhaps they will just concentrate on another '10 things about Bournemouth'

[quote][p][bold]itsneverblackorwhite[/bold] wrote:
Firstly the positioning of this charity stall should have nothing to do with Bournemouth Council as the lower gardens are in fact a charity, however as all the main trustees of the lower gardens charity are councillors and the few co-opted members are also interlinked with the councils other "charity" BH Live you could easily think it was just the council by another name. The meeting minutes make interesting reading and try as I might to get on this committee have been fobbed off, it certainly does not make as much money as you would think out of S&D leisure if the accounts are anything to go by![/p][/quote]perhaps the Daily Echo could publish these accounts
or perhaps they will just concentrate on another '10 things about Bournemouth'Bob49

They also put the price up for the summer! I'm sure when the stall was there earlier this year it was 25p a ticket, now it's gone up to 50p a ticket. I for one am more likely to have more goes at the cheaper price.
I think it was better where it used to be but then I'm a year round resident so my opinion probably doesn't count...

They also put the price up for the summer! I'm sure when the stall was there earlier this year it was 25p a ticket, now it's gone up to 50p a ticket. I for one am more likely to have more goes at the cheaper price.
I think it was better where it used to be but then I'm a year round resident so my opinion probably doesn't count...spooki

"In 2008, Michael Rowland, parks policy officer at Bournemouth Borough Council and Green Flag judge, won a CABE Space scholarship enabling him to go on two study trips to visit parks in northern Europe and North America."

Paris, Copenhagen, Berlin, San Francisco to name but a few....

"The study trips have almost turned the way I think about public space on its head. I no longer feel there should be a clear division between space typologies — public spaces should have something for everyone and to survive they have to be increasingly relevant to everyone"

Hmmm apart from teddy bear stalls it seems.

Good old BBC

"In 2008, Michael Rowland, parks policy officer at Bournemouth Borough Council and Green Flag judge, won a CABE Space scholarship enabling him to go on two study trips to visit parks in northern Europe and North America."
Paris, Copenhagen, Berlin, San Francisco to name but a few....
"The study trips have almost turned the way I think about public space on its head. I no longer feel there should be a clear division between space typologies — public spaces should have something for everyone and to survive they have to be increasingly relevant to everyone"
Hmmm apart from teddy bear stalls it seems.
Good old BBCBranksome snail

Branksome snail wrote:
&quot;In 2008, Michael Rowland, parks policy officer at Bournemouth Borough Council and Green Flag judge, won a CABE Space scholarship enabling him to go on two study trips to visit parks in northern Europe and North America."

Paris, Copenhagen, Berlin, San Francisco to name but a few....

"The study trips have almost turned the way I think about public space on its head. I no longer feel there should be a clear division between space typologies — public spaces should have something for everyone and to survive they have to be increasingly relevant to everyone"

Hmmm apart from teddy bear stalls it seems.

Good old BBC

perhaps the funding for this trip could have been better spent on said teddy bear stall tickets. Not only would there be a very good chance of winning a bear, but these miss spent thousands could have gone to some of the charities this stall supports

[quote][p][bold]Branksome snail[/bold] wrote:
"In 2008, Michael Rowland, parks policy officer at Bournemouth Borough Council and Green Flag judge, won a CABE Space scholarship enabling him to go on two study trips to visit parks in northern Europe and North America."
Paris, Copenhagen, Berlin, San Francisco to name but a few....
"The study trips have almost turned the way I think about public space on its head. I no longer feel there should be a clear division between space typologies — public spaces should have something for everyone and to survive they have to be increasingly relevant to everyone"
Hmmm apart from teddy bear stalls it seems.
Good old BBC[/p][/quote]perhaps the funding for this trip could have been better spent on said teddy bear stall tickets. Not only would there be a very good chance of winning a bear, but these miss spent thousands could have gone to some of the charities this stall supportsBranksome snail